Matthew Dellavedova Is The Hero Cleveland Wants

LeBron James is the undisputed King of Cleveland, but Matthew Dellavedova is a hero to one of the most downtrodden sports cities in America.

Don't misconstrue this message. LeBron is the best basketball player on the planet. The Cavs sit squarely on his broad shoulders, and he carries the load with close to no assistance. Without him, Cleveland is a group of misfits in the Eastern Conference. With him, they are poised to win the NBA Finals. That being said, he's not the only guy on the court. Every star needs a supporting cast, no matter how weak. Every hero needs a hand every once in a while.

"Delly" is the side kick. Batman needed Robin, no matter how annoying and useless he seemed at times. Jordan had Pippen. Kobe had Shaq. LeBron has...Delly.

One of the most unlikely candidates to shine in NBA Final's history, Dellavedova is the lovable misfit Cleveland fans have always wanted. They rejoiced when the Browns drafted Johnny Manziel...but we saw how that panned out. After LeBron left them in a cloud of jilted sports hatred, he came back with the perfect companion to bring a trophy to a very deprived city. LeBron is royalty. Delly is a man of the people.

Cleveland was built on industry. Hard work and sweat. Dellavedova is the first player on the ground for loose balls. He dives three rows into the stands, despite the inevitable bodily harm that is sure to come. Who locked down the NBA's MVP, Steph Curry? Delly. After the victory in Game 3, he was taken to the hospital for dehydration...where the nurses and doctors in Cleveland probably said in hushed tones, "That's Delly in there..."

LeBron jokingly said he's not going anywhere without Delly on his side anymore. Clearly he's not going to invite him to all his commercial shoots or barbecues with the family, but you might not see the two on separate rosters for a long time. James Jones is a member of the Cavs because LeBron wanted him there. Delly is doing a lot more than him.

Stats don't belong in this article. His college career, draft position or track record with different teams aren't pertinent either. This is the Matthew Dellavedova Experience right now. It's making it's first tour stop in Cleveland, and it might not ever leave town.